Join BookBrowse today and get access to free books, our twice monthly digital magazine, and more.

Talia Carner explains the backstory to her new book, "Jerusalem Maiden"

Talia Carner explains the extraordinary true story that lies behind her soon to be published novel, Jerusalem Maiden...

Rivka was fourteen. A Jerusalem maiden, she was already married, building a home in God's Holy City according to the mitzvah to hasten the messiah's arrival. Alas, Rivka's young husband died, leaving her no longer a virgin but neither a mother. She was doomed to never contribute her share to hastening the messiah's arrival through the good dead of procreation in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem MaidenThankfully, to her rescue came the ancient law that would ensure saving her womb from this fate, a law that would help her bear children in her husband's name.

No frozen sperms in a bank. Familiar only with the old-fashioned route, the law simply required that Rivka's husband's brother would impregnate her on his dead brother's behalf, thus ensuring the closest proxy of the dead man's seed. "Yibum," the rabbis called this brilliant scheme, as thus saved, Rivka would not be deprived of the privilege to hasten the messiah's arrival.

But wait! There were problems: Rivka's brother-in-law was merely a boy of eight, and he lived in Russia, Yishmor Hashem.

Poor Rivka was condemned to a lifelong widowhood, except that another Jewish law, a more modern one, came to her rescue. This law demonstrated the sages' enlightenment by undoing the archaic law of Yibum. According to this more progressive law, called Halitza, the deceased man's brother may relinquish his sacred obligation to his brother's memory - but not without a great shame.

Disdained at her brother-in-law's refusal to impregnate her, Rivka must humiliate him publicly by removing one of his shoes and spitting in his face.

Armed with this practical solution to her plight, at age fourteen Rivka set out alone on the road to Russia, on foot and on horseback, through snow-capped mountains crawling with bandits. It took her two years to make the trip there, and two more years to return to Jerusalem, a free woman. At age eighteen Rivka was finally permitted to remarry and fulfill her duty to help hasten the messiah's arrival.

Rivka was my grandmother's grandmother. Jerusalem Maiden fictionalizes an alternate life for a woman wishing to break away from the religious confinements of her society in order to fulfill her passion for art.

My grandmother passed on to me Rivka's determination and courage. But I also took another lesson: I stopped worrying about the messiah's comings and goings. Then, no longer burdened with carrying the weight of the world's fate on my shoulders, I've become my own messiah.



Talia Carner Talia Carner is formerly the publisher of Savvy Woman magazine. A supporter of global human rights, she has spearheaded ground-breaking projects centered on the subject of women's plight. Carner is the author of the heart-wrenching suspense novels Puppet Child, China Doll, and the just-released Jerusalem Maiden. Visit Talia at www.TaliaCarner.com

This book sounds a bit melodramatic, but probably targeted for very young readers. Will give it a try when the library stocks it.
# Posted By Nickey Gilbert | 5/24/11 10:37 AM
Hi Nickey, I don't think there's anything that would prohibit Jerusalem Maiden from being appreciated by young adults but, based on the review commentary to date and the type of people reviewing, I don't think this is being seen as a book for younger readers at all; for example:

"Jerusalem Maiden is a page-turning and thought-provoking novel. Extraordinary sensory detail vividly conjures another time and place; heroine Esther Kaminsky’s poignant struggle transcends time and place. The ultimate revelation here: for many women, if not most, 2011 is no different than 1911, but triumph is nonetheless possible." - Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of The Scenic Route

As bold and fragile as its main character, Jerusalem Maiden is at heart a story of revolution....Captivates at every level, heart and mind." - Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and Second Nature

"Exquisitely told...a moving and utterly captivating novel that I will be thinking about for a long, long time." - Tess Gerritsen, author of many NY Times bestsellers
# Posted By Davina | 5/24/11 10:45 AM
I wrote the book as one I would enjoy reading, a woman's struggle for freedom within the confines of her strict religious society. It is not targeted to young readers. (In fact, there is some sex as it is tied closely to religious suppression.)
A reviewer said that Jerusalem Maiden is "The Red Tent meets A Thousand Splendid Suns."

I hope you'll have a good reading experience.
# Posted By Talia Carner | 5/27/11 6:57 PM
Comments (Please click on the link above to post a comment. Your comment will not appear until approved.)
Discuss on Facebook